Surrey, the wealthiest club in county cricket, have made plenty of big signings off the field, including Chris Adams, Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe and Martin Bicknell. But after coming a bloody-nosed second-best in their draw with ­Gloucestershire at The Oval it is their big-name players, such as Mark Ramprakash and Mark Butcher, who they need if they are to make a swift return to the top division.

The best news for the club was that their injured captain, Mark Butcher, has come through a practice fielding session and says he feels happier than he has been for some time following knee surgery. He will travel with the side to Derbyshire for next week's championship match, though is still likely to be out of the team for a while yet .

Surrey need him. They were bowled out for 160 and, following on 173 runs behind Gloucestershire's 333, reached 64 for two at the close as their opponents failed to win at The Oval for the first time since 1997.

Usman Afzaal, who lost out to Michael Brown for the job as the home side's stand-in skipper, showed his fighting qualities with an innings of 65. He batted for almost four hours, striking seven fours and a six, and had to bat again before Surrey were safe. But this will be a difficult season for the new­-look Brown Caps.

Gloucestershire's new captain, Alex Gidman, has been tipped by some to pick up nothing more than the wooden spoon this term, but New Zealand's James Franklin, who took three wickets in the first, looks a shrewd signing and will make up a decent seam attack alongside Steve Kirby and Jon Lewis.

Lewis, who made a quick breakthrough with the wicket of Laurie Evans when Surrey batted again, could be even more effective now that he is no longer has to worry about leading the side.

At Chelmsford in another Division Two match, Essex and Derbyshire drew despite an enterprising half-century from opener Varun Chopra. Essex had been set 312 for victory from a minimum of 45 overs. Chopra struck 56 from 74 balls, with 10 fours, after surviving two early appeals. But Essex finished on 120 for three after the players called it a day with an hour and 16 overs to go.

The game between Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, for whom Monty Panesar failed to take a wicket in the match, also ended in a draw.

There were four wickets each for David Lucas and Johannes van der Wath as the home side were bowled out at Leicester for 183 in reply to Northants' 387. The only meaningful resistance came from Jim Allenby and Paul Nixon.

Leicestershire were asked to follow on and were soon in more trouble before a battling and unbeaten 68 from Boeta Dippenaar took them to safety. He batted for more than three and a half hours and again there was dogged support from Nixon. The pair shared a partnership of 70 to take Leicestershire to 174 for four and once again hands were shaken with the final 16 overs to play.